Many former members of the US military have gone onto murder, rape, and engage in criminal activities. Is it too much to ask that they be at least as well vetted as we have our former Afghan allies before being allowed to remain at large in the United States?
Since the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, over 77,000 Afghan nationals evacuated under Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) underwent a multi-layered screening process, including biometric and biographic checks against U.S. intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism databases.
Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the National Guard shooting suspect, underwent multiple, layers of U.S. vetting starting around 2011 for CIA work, followed by 2021 Operation Allies Welcome screening, and 2025 asylum checks. Officials stated he passed all checks, including National Counterterrorism Center database reviews, biometrics (fingerprints/photos), and interviews.